


Betrayal

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 16:24:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8109346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Louisa is captured by Dark Core but is rescued by someone unexpected.





	

There seemed to be more darkness than usual at the Dark Core oil rig when the little boat pulled up at the base of it. Louisa stepped off the boat and led her horse onto the platform as well, patting his nose to calm him. All of the lights were out, though she could still hear the goons marching around and grunting their little tunes or whatever. It was definitely creepy.

She took one step away from the horse and darkness solidified around her leg. A girl clad in deep purple robes stepped out of the darkness, her face shining pale in the light that had manifested around Louisa.

“So she returns,” said the girl in a voice that was gentle. She tilted her head to the side. “Curious or just foolish?”

“Who are you?” asked Louisa, her heart pounding. The darkness coiled around her leg felt cold.

“I’m you, but stronger,” said the girl. She grinned with teeth that were too sharp, and suddenly the darkness grew thorns and dragged Louisa down into it.

When she woke up, Louisa could feel her limbs being pulled outwards. She could see the metal platform of the helipad beneath her, and only darkness above her. There were also people standing below her, people that she recognised from her previous trips here. Grey robes, black robes, red robes, and black and red with a cape. Justin was nowhere to be seen. Maybe they didn’t want him to see this.

Louisa couldn’t see behind her, so she was taken by surprise by the sudden lash of hot, spiked pain down her back. She screamed, feeling coldness spread from the impact. Sadness seemed to accompany the coldness, spreading darkness through her. And then another lash came, followed by more.

The torture continued through the night, and then they let her go. Louisa curled on the platform, sobbing for a while. If she tried to swim away, she’d drown. Or get eaten by a shark. Or maybe the ocean was swarming with darkness. Everything was darkness.

There was a light. A light hanging above her, joined to this platform by a ramp. A sound. A neigh. Goldmist. Louisa got to her feet and staggered blindly toward the ramp. Rain had plastered her clothing to her body and left her to shiver. Every movement sent pain through her. She got to the top of the ramp, then recoiled at burning pain. She tried to reach across the barrier, tried to get to her precious horse, but nothing. The pain repelled her every time.

Her captors found her on the ramp, curled into a pitiful ball of misery. They dragged her back to the platform and tied her up with darkness again.

The pain began anew, filling her with darkness that raked at her insides and left her feeling nothing but sadness and pain.

“Stop it!” Something physical collided with Louisa this time, and she found herself on the helipad. Her body hurt, but someone stood over her. A snarl sounded from the person. “Leave her alone.”

“Kitten’s got claws,” someone tutted. Louisa’s saviour growled. The night was suddenly split with a neighing sound, and Louisa got to her feet long enough to scramble into her horse’s saddle. She flattened herself against his neck and cried. Surely, he would get her out of here.

Katja stood on the beach with the girl and horse behind her. She was surprised that she’d been able to teleport here. And that her master hadn’t punished her yet. Pain sizzled through her suddenly, making her drop to the ground, and she looked up to see four girls on horses standing around her. Ah. The cavalry had arrived. She got to her feet again.

“What did you do to her?” asked Alex, lightning flickering at her fingertips.

“I rescued her,” said Katja. “She was being tortured by Darko, and I couldn’t just stand by and watch. So I grabbed her and teleported us all here.”

“A likely story,” said Lisa. She was glaring too, but she looked more concerned for the welfare of her girlfriend. Katja moved aside so that the two could be reunited.

“I suppose that thanks are in order for returning her,” said Linda. Katja sensed magic around the girl, and knew that she’d likely just seen all that had happened.

“Really?” asked Alex, eyeing her skeptically. Katja rolled her eyes.

“Believe me or don’t, I don’t care,” said Katja. “But I’ve got nowhere to go. They won’t take me back now, not after I freed their prisoner and escaped.”

“And we should look after you why?” asked Lisa. “The druids have more than enough to do without babysitting a demon.”

“I don’t need babysitting,” Katja snapped. “And I’m not a demon. Those idiot druids got it wrong.”

“Take her in,” Louisa mumbled, stirring to life atop her horse. She still looked utterly wrecked, but there was more life in her eyes now.

“Are you sure?” asked Lisa.

“She saved my life,” said Louisa. “I don’t care if she kidnapped James or whatever.”

“That’s good enough for me,” said Lisa, kissing Louisa on the forehead. “Come on, let’s just go.”

“She can’t find out the way to the Secret Stonering though,” said Alex.

“And how are you going to prevent me from doing that?” asked Katja. “Blindfold me?” More pain lanced through her, and Katja cried out at the familiar pain of Soul Strike.

By the time Katja revived, she was under a dome of flickering golden light. She groaned as she sat up, everything aching.

“Did you have to kill me?” she grumbled, glowering at the girl standing sentry outside the dome.

“It was easier than knocking you out,” said Alex.

“You’re lucky I could still revive,” said Katja. “Garnok will probably take my powers from me for turning my back on him.”

“So why did you?” asked Alex. “Why turn your back on everything you’ve ever known? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with Louisa now.”

“I saved her because I couldn’t just stand by and watch someone else go through that,” said Katja. She picked at a loose thread on her robes. She’d need to get changed out of them eventually. She concentrated and sang a note, and then opened her eyes to find that her grey robes had changed into her usual white ensemble. Much better.

“What do you mean?” asked Alex.

“You think I wasn’t tortured when you banished me? For failing and for revealing our secrets to you?” asked Katja, staring straight at her.

“I didn’t even think of that,” said Alex. “I didn’t think of you at all after I banished you.”

“That’s harsh,” said Katja. “Especially when I once meant so much to you.”

“Up until you tried to get me to leave town,” said Alex. “And outed me. And stomped on my heart. The only good thing you did was give me a taste for pretty girls.”

“And a flair for the dramatic, I see,” said Katja. “The old you would’ve put me in a sleeper hold or something. Not killed me. You know Soul Strike has a ‘stun’ setting, don’t you?”

“What can I say, I was still mad at you for making Anne’s rescue harder than it had to be,” said Alex. She glared at her, and Katja shrank back under her look.

“I go after what I want,” said Katja.

“Then we can’t keep you,” said Alex. “Louisa can look after you if she wants but Anne’s been through enough without you trying to steal me away from her.”

“So harsh,” said Katja. “But alright then. I can look after myself. Maybe they’ll even take me back.” She strongly doubted that, though. But maybe Jess would let her hide with that little family.

“Nothing is decided yet,” said Alex. “The druids have to call a council meeting to decide what to do with you. But if it were up to me, I’d throw you back.”

“Some fishermen kiss the fish before they throw it back,” said Katja.

“Don’t push your luck,” said Alex. She walked away, and Katja settled back to wait for her fate to be decided.


End file.
